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China president discusses North Korea with Donald Trump over phone

Xi assured Trump that Beijing remains committed to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

China president discusses North Korea with...

By EFE

April 12, 2017

The Chinese President discussed North Korea with his American counterpart Wednesday over the telephone, Chinese official broadcaster CCTV reported.

During the conversation Xi Jinping urged Donald Trump to resolve the issue through dialogue after Trump warned that the United States is ready to address the problem unilaterally and without the help of China, a traditional ally of North Korea.

Xi assured Trump that Beijing remains committed to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He also offered to coordinate with Trump in responding to Pyongyang, at a time of escalating tension following the Kim Jong-un regime's repeated ballistic missile launches.

The US has responded to these launches by sending nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its attack group to waters close to the country as a show of strength.

During the phone call both leaders also discussed the Syrian conflict and Xi called the use of chemical weapons unacceptable and stressed the need for a political solution to the dispute.

Last week, the US had launched an airstrike on Syria against the Bashar Al-Assad regime, which has been blamed for conducting last week's chemical attack in northern Syria.

Xi also emphasized the role of the United Nations as a mediator and hoped the Security Council can stand united at a time of clear division among its members.

The call between Xi and Trump comes a few days after both leaders met for the first time in Florida at Trump's private club, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

The Chinese leader described the Florida meeting as very successful, said CCTV.

According to Xi, the meeting allowed the two presidents to get to know each other better and he hoped that it will help promote cooperation in all areas, including trade, a major point of friction between the two largest economies in the world.